Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Turtles Forever (Nickelodeon DVD)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: B-     Extras: D     Film: C-

 

 

Even as I have never partaken in the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Series (as a child of the 1980’s) I was instantly intrigued and excited to view the straight to DVD film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Turtles Forever.  The new film astonishingly teams up the original 1980’s TMNT with the new incarnation TMNT via some inter-dimensional portal system.  I do not enjoy the new take on the TMNT that dances the line between Kevin Eastman’s original dark comic and the campier action of the 1987 animated series, as it does not do it well.

 

This crossover was tempting as it featured my original 1987 mean green heroes, but in the end did not deliver as expected.  All in all I can call this 70 minute feature disrespectful.  The beginning of the animated feature focuses on the (new) 2003 TMNT series in a very serious manner before introducing the 1987 Turtles (via portal) along with some of their classic villains in a rather slanderous manner.  From the moment the 1987 Turtles enter the film they are treated as cartoony, idiotic beings.  Sure we can all agree that the 1987 Turtles were not what Kevin Eastman originally penned in his comic series, but they had serious adventures and serious villains; even if many jovial moments occurred.  This new film basically trashes the old Turtles while calling the 2003 Turtles the ‘real deal.’  If I had no desire to watch the 2003 Turtles before, their mockery of the 1987 Turtles made it even worse.

 

The picture is presented in 1.78 X 1 anamorphic widescreen that has no debris (like older Turtle releases) and solid clarity, but lacks color as it feels muted and bland.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo gets the job done as it is clean and clear, but does not use surrounds and is not all to epic by any means.

 

No extras exist on this set.

 

 

-   Michael P. Dougherty II